Guide To: Skiing in Avoriaz
Avoriaz ski resort is part of the famous Portes du Soleil in the French Alps. Discover everything you need to know about planning a trip there with this expert guide.
The highest ski resort in the famous Portes du Soleil, Avoriaz is a popular skiing destination in the French Alps.
Perfect for families, intermediates and freestyle skiers, Avoriaz has plenty of slopes to enjoy as well as a lively apres ski scene.
Situated in the heart of the Portes du Soleil area, a ski trip to Avoriaz allows you to easily take in the slopes of neighbouring resorts too.
If you’re planning a trip to Avoriaz ski resort, look no further than our expert guide full of unique facts and the best slopes to head to, no matter what your skiing ability.
Where is Avoriaz
Avoriaz is located in the French Alps, right in the centre of the Portes du Soleil ski area.
The Portes du Soleil, which means “gateway to the sun”, is an area of 14 interconnected ski resorts that span both the French and Swiss Alps.
Located around 2 hours away from Geneva and just under 2 hours from Chambery, Avoriaz is easily accessible to skiers coming from across Europe and beyond.
Mountain Facts
Avoriaz ski resort sits at an altitude of 1800 m and if you want to experience the best conditions and snowfall, January and February are the perfect months to visit.
There’s 50 slopes in all, covering 78 km of skiing terrain for you to enjoy. With 8 green, 25 blue, 13 red and 4 black slopes on offer, there’s something for skiers of all abilities.
Avoriaz may be great for skiers but it’s also the perfect choice for snowboarders too. In fact, Avoriaz ski resort was one of the first resorts in Europe to welcome snowboarders to its slopes.
A dedicated snowboarding zone is looked after by the Avoriaz Snowzone team, a group of experts who shape and maintain the fun zones and snow parks within the area. The resort’s enthusiasm for snowboarding means there is now a lively scene of snowboarders who visit throughout the season.
The Avoriaz Ski Resort
The Avoriaz ski resort is a great choice for families and intermediate skiers looking to advance their skills.
The resort has a range of accommodation ranging from self-catering options to more luxurious choices.
For those looking for activities away from the slopes there’s a swimming pool, bowling alley and skating rink as well as dog sledding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling on offer.
Despite being one of the more architecturally modern resorts in the Portes du Soleil area, the transport is the opposite! Avoriaz ski resort is one of the only fully pedestrianised resorts in the French Alps meaning there’s not a car in sight and instead you can hop aboard a horse-drawn carriage to get around (if you don’t want to use your skis of course!)
The ski season usually runs from December to mid-April here but if you’re visiting with children and looking to enjoy some of the family activities put on by the resort, be sure to visit in February.
Avoriaz - Ski Areas
There are various areas within the Avoriaz ski resort full of slopes and off-piste terrain for skiers of all abilities to enjoy.
The Hauts Forts area is a great choice for powder fans and the powder fields in Lindarets and Chatel are great for expert skiers looking to put their skills to the test.
There’s also plenty of more gentle slopes for beginners and families and Avoriaz is particularly famous for having some of the best snowparks in the Alps.
Avoriaz is home to Europe’s first freestyle park, The Stash, where no matter what your snowboarding experience you’re gunatreed a great time.
Morzine and Les Gets
Whilst beginners will likely have more than enough in Avoriaz to keep them occupied, intermediate and more advanced skiers may want to venture out to Morzine or Les Gets.
Skilled skiers will find a particularly great black run in Morzine around Le Pleney that has a steep drop whilst the red runs above the town are perfect for enthusiastic carvers.
Les Gets meanwhile has a great black run, Bouequetin, that’s steep and demanding as well as Gazellem a black and Chamois, a red run that in the right conditions are great options for experienced skiers looking for a thrill.
There’s also plenty of off-piste skiing options in Les Gets with some of the best views of the Portes du Soleil.
Skiing in Avoriaz - By Ability
Avoriaz is a great option for skiers of all abilities and particularly excels in its slopes for beginners and intermediates. Take a look below at the slopes to look out for depending on your ski skills.
Skiing in Avoriaz for Beginners
Avoriaz ski resort is particularly well catered to beginner skiers, in fact you can even purchase a ski pass strictly for the beginner slopes meaning you don’t have to waste money on a pass for slopes above your skill level.
Proclou is one of the best beginner slopes there is and the wide, flat run is the perfect place to practise your new skills.
Those within the Avoriaz ski school will start on the Ecoles piste and once you feel ready, there are an array of blue slopes to try out.
Some of those include Qu’mont and Gerneus which are both gentle enough for beginners but have enough to push your skills.
Other blues that are the perfect goal for beginners are Stade d’Arare and Bleue du Lac.
Skiing in Avoriaz for Intermediate Skiers
Just like beginners, intermediate skiers will have plenty of choice if you choose a Avoriaz ski holiday.
Intermediate skiers love Avoriaz thanks to the sheer number of blue runs available, ranging from easier pistes to get started on and tricker ones to aim to complete by the end of your trip.
The Seraussaix is a great choice for those travelling between Avoriaz and Morzine meanwhile the Proclou run is wide and pretty flat but features the Mini Stash which links onto wooden structures hidden in the trees for you to spot on your way down.
You should also keep an eye out for Prolays which is a wide blue one particularly popular with ski seasonaires.
Skiing in Avoriaz for Advanced Skiers
The Avoriaz ski areas also offer plenty of slopes and terrain for expert skiers.
The Hauts Forts area of Avoriaz is the place to be for freeride skiers who like long, steep descents and there’s plenty of black runs to choose from including Coupe du Monde, Combe du Machon and Combette.
The more leisurely but still exciting slope, Bleue d’Arare, which is used for ski races, is ideal for expert skiers who want to enjoy a slightly less hair-raising but still exciting journey down the mountain.
Skiers can get to Avoriaz from Geneva airport in around 2 hours, making it a great choice for those who want to enjoy the French Alps but who want to avoid long transfer times.
Our fleet of shared and private alpine vehicles can take you from the airport to the resort safely and comfortably, giving you plenty of time to plan which slopes you want to hit first.
Our private transfers go all the way to Avoriaz top station whilst our shared transfers terminate at the Prodains Telecabine.
Guide to Skiing in Avoriaz
An Avoriaz ski holiday is a great choice for skiers of all ability levels but particularly intermediate skiers who want to brush up on their skills and try out some challenging slopes.
Part of the famous Portes du Soleil, Avoriaz has plenty of slope options itself but thanks to its location, is also connected to a further 13 ski resorts that you can enjoy on your visit.
To find out more about Avoriaz ski resort check out our Avoriaz page or if you’re ready to get planning your holiday, contact our team to book one of our specialist airport transfers.
